NFL mock draft 3.0: Ravens address their pass rush

The scouting combine and most pro day workouts have been completed, and with the NFL draft just a few weeks away, there has been a significant amount of shuffling in my third NFL mock draft of the offseason.

It all starts at the top, where a pair of passers have soared to the first and third picks in my latest mock. But you don't care about that.

1. Panthers: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn. The Panthers don’t appear to be set on selecting a quarterback first overall, but by the time the draft rolls around, I have a feeling they will decide they can’t pass up the opportunity to land a potential franchise quarterback. Sorry, Jimmy Clausen. Will it be Newton or Gabbert? I say Newton, especially if a rookie wage scale will be in place. He’ll be a project, but he has the most upside.

2. Broncos: Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU. Denver is switching to a 4-3 defense under John Fox and needs new bodies in its front seven, but it would be hard to pass on Peterson, maybe the draft’s safest top prospect.

3. Bills: Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri. Like the Panthers, the Bills have a bunch of needs. But if they are confident that Gabbert, who solidified himself as a top-10 prospect with a strong pro day, can be their guy under center, they will take him here and let him ride shotgun to starting QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for a year.

4. Bengals: Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn. The Bengals, who have a cranky Carson Palmer on their hands, are in need of a new quarterback, too. But with Newton and Gabbert off the board, Cincinnati will snag Fairley and hope he wasn’t just a one-hit wonder at Auburn, as some draft insiders have speculated.

5. Cardinals: Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M. Arizona is another team that could eye an upgrade under center, but Miller would be a sweet consolation prize for the Cardinals, who need to beef up their linebacker corps.

6. Browns: Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina. I had the Browns taking Georgia wideout A.J. Green in my two previous mocks, and I still think he will get serious consideration here. But the Browns are switching up their defensive scheme and could plug in Quinn, who sat out the 2010 college season, at defensive end.

7. 49ers: Marcell Dareus, DE, Alabama. There is chatter that Dareus could be a top-five pick -- maybe even first overall. If he is there at pick No. 7, the 49ers can boost their pass rush with Terrence Cody’s former linemate.

8. Titans: Corey Liuget, DT, Illinois. This may seem like a reach -- a la Tyson Alualu to the Jaguars last year -- but Liuget is a penetrating defensive tackle who would fill a major need for new Titans coach Mike Munchak.

10. Redskins: A.J. Green, WR, Georgia. This is a dream scenario for the Redskins, who desperately need a playmaking wideout for whoever ends up being their quarterback in 2011. Green has Pro Bowl potential.

11. Texans: Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska. Houston took cornerback Kareem Jackson in last year’s first round. But if you watched the Texans secondary get torched in 2010, you know this wouldn’t be a wasted pick.

12. Vikings: Nate Solder, OT, Colorado. The Vikings can shore up their aging offensive line by selecting this towering tackle. If Solder is the real deal, the Vikings can move Bryant McKinnie over to the right tackle.

13. Lions: Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson. Bowers’ stock has taken a hit because of health concerns (some teams have reportedly taken him off their boards). If he proves to be durable, he would be a steal here.

16. Jaguars: Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa. The Jaguars have to be hoping that one of the draft’s top defensive ends falls to them. Clayborn is in the second tier at the position, but he would have pretty good value here.

17. Patriots: Tyron Smith, OT, USC. The Patriots have proved willing to move picks in the past, and with two first-rounders this year, they might do it again. If they stand pat here, they could address a need at left tackle.

18. Chargers: Cameron Jordan, DE, California. The Chargers’ pass rushing is lacking juice after the departure of Shawne “Lights Out” Merriman. They could either go with an end or linebacker here. We’ll say Jordan.

19. Giants:Mike Pouncey, G/C, Florida. The Giants solidify their line with the draft’s top interior line prospect.

20. Buccaneers: Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado. They might not want to pull the trigger on Smith -- poor choice of words? -- given Aqib Talib’s recent legal troubles. But it looks like they’re going to need a new cornerback.

23. Eagles: Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin. With a left-handed starting QB who takes a lot of hits and a right-handed backup, the Eagles would be wise to find a tackle to pair with Jason Peters.

24. Saints: Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA. Ayers disappointed scouts in pre-draft workouts, where he didn’t show off his athleticism. But he was too good in his UCLA career to fall out of the first round.

25. Seahawks: Jake Locker, QB, Washington. Last time around, I had Seattle taking Arkansas quarterback Ryan Mallett. This time, it’s Locker. It will be interesting to see who the third quarterback off the board is.

26. Ravens: Muhammad Wilkerson, DT, Temple. Wilkerson visited the Ravens this week and raved about the team, but it’s unclear if the feeling is mutual or if this is just a smokescreen by GM Ozzie Newsome. We do know that Wilkerson is rising quickly on draft boards and might not be available when the Ravens are on the clock. If he does wind up in Baltimore, he would project to be a defensive end in the team’s 3-4 scheme. What do you think about a future three-man front of Haloti Ngata, Terrence Cody and Wilkerson?

27. Falcons: Justin Houston, DE, Georgia. He was an end for most of his college career and switched to linebacker for his senior season. The Falcons have needs at both positions, so Houston makes sense.

29. Bears: Derek Sherrod, OT, Mississippi State. Chicago’s offensive line was under a lot of scrutiny last season, so the Bears are expected to address the issue with a tackle or a guard late in the first round.